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Seth Thomas Mantel Clock - Identify Age

I just purchased a Seth Thomas Mantel clock at a flea market for $40. It keeps good time and chimes on the 1/4, 1/2 , and hour. The movement is a A-400 Series Chime Movement and is made in Germany. This movement has three main barrel springs and the clock dimensions are 20" by 9" by 5". Attached is a photo of this clock under Managed Attachments.

I am trying to determine the age of this clock since there is no date on the movement. I also want to know if the barrel springs can be released without a spring winder. I am a beginner and only have worked on open loop springs. This clock will most likely need service and I would like to do it myself. The only issue is the main barrel springs since I do not have a spring winder to release the springs from the barrel.

Hi, Dale. Your clock appears to be a Woodbury, circa 1962. 17 1/2 inches wide, 4 1/2 deep, 8 inches high. Cost $59.95.
The springs can probably be removed from the movement without separating the plates, but first let them down into the barrels. Removing them from the barrels can be done without a winder, but it's not easy.

The Dial is made out of some kind of paper and there are five rods used for the chimes. Is this still a Woodbury, circa 1962 and is this clock only worth $59 today or back in 1962?

Where can I find good information on Seth Mantel clocks to find age and how to service them? I noticed that some Seth Mantels clocks have USA movements and others have German movements. I am trying to find out why this is the case. Also, any good manuals or books on how to service Seth Thomas Mantel Clocks (German made) would be very useful. I am really anxious to service this clock myself and appreciate the feedback on the barrel springs. The spring winder is very expensive and I want to progress slowly into this hobby since tools can be expensive.

Seth Thomas was born in 1795 and the Seth Thomas clock company was in business as such until 1931 when it became a division of General Time Corporation. General Time became a division of Talley Industries in 1970.

By the 1960's the company was but a shell of the old firm, no longer manufacturing movements and contracting out the manufacture of most ot its cases. In 1982 the remaining business was moved from Thamaston, CT to Norcross, GA. REF: Seth Thomas clocks & Movements, Tran Duy Ly, 1996.

In approx 1960 they began to use West German movements. Older Seth Thomas clocks have movements made by Seth Thomas.

In my view, the movements from Germany were of lesser quality than those made by Seth Thomas.

The back of your movement may be marked with a trademark and/or name of the maker and could have either a numeric or an alpha date code indicating when it was made.

Books on basic clock repair would be a good place to start. There may or may not be references to the specific maker or your movement.

Dale, Steven Conover has a great book out called Chime Clock Repair but it isn't really aimed at beginners, however you would need its help. I would suggest you find a simpler movement to start with and work your way up to this one. Very few movements or makers have books out specifically for their movements, but general repair techniques apply equally to most movements.

Thank you both for this input. I will start with an easier movement and work my way up. I will also consider purchasing the Chime book once I have a good handle on just working with Time and Strike movements.

I also purchased another Seth Thomas 8 Day Time and Strike clock at a flea market and this movement is also German made (A200 Series movement). This clock has a very loud tick toc and the strike hits three hammers and is very loud. Is this common with these types of clocks and can the strike sound be lowered as well as the tick toc? It is a very nice mantel clock except for the loud tic toc and strike.

I also found a similar clock movement A205-001A 6113 without case and the only difference that I can see is this one has two hammers. I thought I would work on this movement first and progress to my Seth Thomas Time and Strike with 3 hammers and then finally to my Chime clock.

The strike hammers should have leather or plastic inserts that actually strike the rods. Make sure the metal parts of the hammers are not hitting the rods instead. It may also be possible to slightly bend the hammers so they don't hit the rods as hard or put a piece of thin felt or cork on the end of the hammers to further soften the blows.

Quieting the tick may not be possible. Sometimes it will help to install rubber or cork spacers on the screws between the movement and case.

I will check to see if the hammers have a leather or plastic insert and metal is not touching the rods. The thin felt is a great idea...thanks

So the loud tic toc is just the type of movement used for this clock or is it a combination with this movement and case? I have multiple clocks in my house and this clock has a very loud tic toc compared to the others. This clock probably has not been serviced for many years. Would a full service minimize this tic toc sound? The rubber or cork between case and movement will help by minimizing the vibration between clock and case?

The clock movement number identified in this clock is A205-000A 6113 and is a German movement. This is a Seth Clock.

I already contacted Joe Collins and he sent me a CD. I was going to work on open loop spring clocks first and use an inexpensive sprinder winder. Now that I purchased two clocks at a flea market and both are Seth Thomas barrel springs I will most likely purchase Joe's Spring Winder.

I agree with you 100%. This is the best clock help out there. I am having fun with this hobby and everyone on this forum has been some helpful.

Dale, don't scrimp too much on your tools. Philip Balcomb's book, The Clock Repair Primer gives a pretty good list of what basic tools you should have, without breaking the bank. The expensive tools like a lathe and ultrasonic cleaner, you don't need when starting out. A spring winder will save you a lot of frustration.
Balcomb's or Steven Conover's basic clock repair books are worthwhile purchases for the beginner.

The Seth Mantel Clock I purchased at a flea market appears to be in very good shape and keeps accurate time. The strike however is off by one hour. The clock movement number is A205-000A 6113 and made in Germany.

Can the strike train be synchronized with the time train without disassembly?

Does this movement use a count wheel strike system?

Does this mean this clock was disassembled and not synchronized properly?